Program

Food

CARE International works in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities to ensure food security for all.

The importance of food security 

The world produces enough food for everyone to eat, but many people around the world still go hungry. There are three major factors leading to food and nutrition insecurity:  

  • Poverty prohibits people from buying food to feed themselves and their families 
  • Climate change affects food production, especially for small-scale farmers 
  • Food waste and losses contribute to hunger 

When food is scarce, women are the first to go short, or even go without as they prioritize their families. Equally, women are often vital agents of change in terms of tackling food insecurity. At CARE International, we know that women small-scale farmers are critical to global food production but lack access to the same resources as their male counterparts. We focus on supporting women farmers so that they can feed the world.  

A side image of a woman standing and expecting fruit from a tree.

Isabelle Niyotwagirwa assesses tamarillo fruits on her farm in Mutaho, a village in Democratic Republic of Congo. Isabelle uses mixed farming techniques by combining horticulture and vegetable crops on her farm.

What is CARE International doing to increase food security? 

In the face of rising food insecurity, CARE International is working in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities to ensure that no one dies from hunger or suffers chronic malnutrition.  

We work to help people find sustainable ways to make sure they know where their next meal is coming from and support long-term methods of reducing their vulnerability to hunger and malnutrition. This includes supporting farming households to ensure local markets are well stocked, managing natural resources so that they are less at risk from the effects of climate change, and strengthening livelihoods so that people can purchase food.  

The Win-Win project in Burundi, project in Burundi led to increased rice production, improved food security, and higher incomes, while also contributing to positive shifts in community attitudes around gender-based violence. 

Drawing on CARE’s experience in Bangladesh, the project adapted the EKATA model, which focuses on empowerment through knowledge, collective action, and community dialogue. Women’s solidarity groups helped participants access the support they needed to challenge discriminatory social and gender norms. This approach generated a five-dollar return for every dollar invested, compared to a three-dollar return for more conventional approaches.

Working with 4 local partners, DBI EAN, ENPHO, NTAG, and VDRC as part of a consortium working in 42 of Nepal’s 77 Districts, Suaahara II in Nepal contributed to reducing food insecurity by 12.5%, increasing food security for 1.6 million people. 

The project successfully scaled up a health mapping tool at the national level through Self-Applied Technique for Quality Health (SATH), as well as Community Health Score Boards (CHSB) that promote social accountability.